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Slide 1
This presentation contains content that your browser may not be able to =
show
properly. This presentation was optimized for more recent versions of Micro=
soft
Internet Explorer.
The following pr=
esentation
discusses how ArcGIS, ArcMap specifically, was modified to perform civil
engineering and surveying applications.&=
nbsp;
Although the presentation is geared for civil engineers and survey=
ors,
there are tools which are presented that are applicable to other discipli=
nes,
such as the plan and profile drawing generation.In addition, the approach taken =
in
modifying ArcMap for civil engineering and surveying purposes can be used=
for
other disciplines, such as architecture, environmental engineering and so
forth.
Anyone who has b=
een
associated with ESRI for a long time will have noticed that GIS has expan=
ded
into a wide variety of areas, and is used for more than just mapping.Analysis has become a “big=
-time”
component of GIS and is one of the reasons GIS has grown so much.<=
br>
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Even Civil Engineers and Surveyors are using GIS,
<=
/b>
But
not to its full extent.
Engineers and Surveyors
GIS has even bee=
n adopted by
Civil Engineers and Surveyors, who because of their CAD roots, were slow =
to
get on board the GIS bus.E=
ven
so, civil engineers and surveyors are just beginning to use GIS and are n=
ot
really taking advantage of its full capabilities.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Municipal Clients
Civil Engineers and Surveyors working with <=
/span>=
municipal client=
s are
finding themselves having to supply their clients with d=
ata
that can be incorporated into the clients’ GIS database
Part of the reas=
on for civil
engineers and surveyors using GIS is the fact that they deal with municip=
al
clients. Municipalities, as you know, have been using GIS for a number of
years.As a result they hav=
e developed
robust and accurate “enough” databases.This has caused the municipaliti=
es to
start asking for project data, which the engineers and surveyors have
created, in a format that can be incorporated into their GIS. This is a
growing trend that is only going to get larger.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
CAD to GIS
A CAD file (.dxf, .dwg) has typically been <=
/span>used as the mech=
anism
to transfer the engineer or surveyor’s work to the municipal client=
For now, submitt=
ing DXF or
DWG files has been the mechanism in which engineers and surveyors have be=
en
providing their municipal clients their project work.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
CAD to GIS
The CAD file (.d=
xf,
.dwg) provides:
ØExchange of geometric
graphics
ØBut not a good mechanism for
exchanging
attribute data
ØAttribute data is becoming =
more
and
more impo=
rtant
for municipal clients
The problem with=
this type
of file is that although most geometric information comes across, valuable
attribute or non-graphic information does not easily come across, if at a=
ll.
This attribute data is very important to the municipality because of the =
robustness
of the municipality’s GIS.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Design within ArcGIS
By creating custom commands and tools, we =
span>can utilize ArcG=
IS as
the graphics engine for performing Civil Engineering and
Surveying applications=
By creating cust=
om commands
and tools, we can add civil engineering and surveying functionality that
operates within the ArcMap environment.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Start to End Approach
By creating custom commands and tools, we =
span>can utilize ArcG=
IS to
design and draft in a GIS environment
"drafting as a by-product of the design process&qu=
ot;
Now, when we say=
design
within ArcMap, we are not talking about performing one simple task. We are
talking about performing an entire project from start to end, from site
mapping to contract design document preparation, stakeout, and infrastruc=
ture
database updating within a GIS environment. Using the fundamental princip=
le
that drafting should be a by-product of the design process, the engineer
develops almost all of the drawing information as the design process
proceeds.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Custom Commands/Tools
Visual
Basic 6
ArcObjects
Avenue
Wraps
Active
X DLL’s
Toolbars which can be added to ArcMap,
=
div>
and
}
Since ArcGIS pro=
vides a
developer environment, it is possible for one to develop Active X DLLR=
17;s
which can be added to ArcMap in the form of custom toolbars. These toolba=
rs
will contain the commands and tools providing the civil engineering and s=
urveying
functionality. The toolbars shown in this presentation were created using
Visual Basic, ArcObjects and Avenue Wraps.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Design Processes
=
Survey
– Field Work
=
Digital
Terrain Model
=
Horizontal
Alignments
=
Cross-Sections/Profiles
=
Vertical
Alignments
=
Roadway
Templates
=
Roadway
Surface
=
Earthwork
Quantities
=
Subdivision
Design
=
P&P
Drawings
which can be performed within ArcGIS<=
/span>
To=
name
a few
Obviously a civil
engineering project involves a number of different tasks.What we will cover in this
presentation are the tools which we use for road design and site developm=
ent.The tasks for this type of work =
is
shown on the slide.
151
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The CEDRA Corporation
Topographic Mapping
Create a digital model of the project site <=
/span>comprised of
=
;
contours
and existing features utilizing:
Aerial photography, and/or
Conventional Field Survey Data, better yet
=
;
Current GIS Database
The first task i=
s the
creation of the digital terrain model. This model is to contain the exist=
ing
topographic features of the site, as well as, contours for the site.In this presentation we will dis=
cuss
how conventional field survey data can be imported.The size, type, location and oth=
er
factors will dictate the means by which the base topographic map will be
prepared.Depending on these
means appropriate import formats can be created.Of course the prime, and first s=
ource
to be looked at is the availability of an appropriate GIS database map. Even if not quite up-to-date, su=
ch a
base map could serve for a conceptual, preliminary, project design.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Field Survey Data
Create a custom command for the <=
/span>mass importing of
field survey data in a variety of formats, and with the =
b>ability to gener=
ate
line and curve features from point codes
The approach tak=
en, and what
will become clear during the presentation, is that for every major task t=
here
is a custom command or tool that exists for performing the task.The result of using any of these=
commands
or tools is the generation of point, line, curve, polygon and/or annotati=
on
features in as much of an automated fashion so as to minimize the amount =
of
manual editing.
For this task we=
desire to
mass import point data from which contours are to be created.
151
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The CEDRA Corporation
Import Conventional Fiel=
d Survey Data
Here is the Impo=
rt Points
command which allows us to import point data in an ASCII file in a variet=
y of
formats.When used in conju=
nction
with point codes, this command is able to generate line work representing=
the
site’s existing features, such as curb lines, building footprints,
sewer lines, power lines, and the like.&=
nbsp;
Point codes can also be used to set the symbology for automatic
drafting purposes.Within A=
rcMap
the point code is the attribute in which the layer is classified upon. In so doing, the appropriate sym=
bol
can be applied based upon the point code.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Contouring
Create a custom command for creating contours
from:
Radialsurvey, and
Cross-sectionalsurvey
In creating cont=
ours, one
has to be cognizant of the point data.&n=
bsp;
That is, does the point data represent a radial survey or a
cross-sectional type of survey.There are several contouring software that could be used.Many of these prepare superbly l=
ooking
line work.However, for civ=
il
engineering applications, the “exact” (using this word rather
loosely) is more important than “nice looking”.Therefore, the ability needs to =
exist
to easily modify a contour line created by automated means.
151
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The CEDRA Corporation
Cross-Sectional Survey Data<=
/div>
Requires special contouring algorithm=
b>
In the case of a
cross-sectional survey, the surveyor takes “shots” left and r=
ight
of some arbitrary baseline.There
is a difference between the two types of surveys because a special contou=
ring
algorithm needs to be used when processing cross-sectional types of surve=
ys.
Typical contouring algorithms do not handle cross-sectional surveys prope=
rly.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Contouring
Parameters
Here you can see=
some of the
contouring parameters that are available for the engineer or surveyor.
The top dialog b=
ox provides
for the introduction of break lines, such as top of bank, or bottom of di=
tch,
where a sharp change in a contour’s direction occurs.
The bottom dialo=
g box
assists in the introduction of the contour parameters, such as line weigh=
t of
the heavy contour, contour interval, spacing of contour annotations, cont=
our
smoothing, and the like.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
GeoDatabase
Stored
in a geodatabase are the:
vContourstrings (polyline features =
with the elevati=
on
stored as an attribute)
vElevation annotation
vPolygonscomprising the TIN (3D polygon features)=
div>
Since we are dis=
cussing a
new approach in performing design, it is only fitting that the data we cr=
eate
be stored in a geodatabase.In
the case of contours, a geodatabase will contain the contour strings, whi=
ch
are actually polylines with the elevation stored as an attribute, the hea=
vy
contour elevation annotation features, and the polygons which comprise the
TIN.The polygons are actua=
lly 3D
polygons with each vertex in the polygon assigned an elevation value.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Roadway Design
Requires
Geometry and Design Data
v &nbs=
p;
Design Data is assigned an Identifier
vCustom Commands
reference the Design Data Identifier
Once the digital=
terrain
model has been established we can proceed with the roadway design phase.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> The approach taken in performing
roadway design is that the user defines the design criteria to be used,
identifying each one with an identifier.=
This identifier is then referenced during the operation of a speci=
fic
command.The design criteri=
a or
“design data” are stored in dBase tables.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Specification of Design Data=
Since there are =
different
types of design data (the top left combo box menu), there will be differe=
nt
dBase tables containing the different types of design data.Within a dBase table (the bottom=
right
dialog box helps to set the right-of way widths, and the design parameters
for the automated design of cul-de-sacs) there could be various design da=
ta
of the same type, thus creating a library of design data.The design parameter ID is the
identifier that the engineer can use to differentiate different design
criteria.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Horizontal Alignments
An interactive design feature to introduce <=
/span>one or many PI=
8217;s
with curves and spirals, and dynamically display alignment changes as each =
PI is
dragged across the monitor screen
In designing a r=
oad, the
horizontal alignment is represented as a design feature. This feature can=
be
comprised of one or more PI’s with each PI being assigned interacti=
vely
a curve radius with or without a back and/or forward spiral length.Control points and their buffer =
zones
that affect the positioning the alignment can be defined by various built=
-in
geometric tools.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Horizontal Alignment with 2 PI’s
Here we see a ho=
rizontal
alignment that is comprised of two PI’s.In this case, each of the PIR=
17;s
is assigned only a curve radius and no spiral length data.So you can see that a horizontal
alignment is more than a polyline, it is a design feature that has been
assigned pertinent roadway geometric information.On such an alignment, click at a=
PI
and drag it across the monitor screen.&n=
bsp;
As the PI is dragged the alignment changes reflecting its shape ba=
sed
upon the current location of the cursor.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Horizontal Alignment Editing
Specialized commands were developed t=
o facilitate the
editing, or modification of the horizontal alignments
As one understan=
ds, the
design process is an iterative process, so that, during the roadway layou=
t,
the engineer is going to want to alter the design.As such, special or custom tools=
need
to exist to perform editing on the design feature.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Horizontal Alignment Commands and Tools
As can be seen a=
robust
suite of commands and tools were developed for editing (dialog box in the=
low
right corner) and post-processing (combo box menu commands in the upper l=
eft
corner).
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Post-Processing
Specialized commands were developed t=
o post-process the
horizontal alignments so as to facilitate the drafting process=
(automated gener=
ation
of lines, curves and annotation features from design data)=
When we speak of
post-processing we are talking about using a design feature in conjunction
with design data to mass produce lines, curves and annotation features, w=
ith
these features being stored in a geodatabase.
151
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The CEDRA Corporation
<=
![endif]>
Mass generation of featu=
res representing the right-of way
and the cul-de-sac of one, <=
/div>
or many selected alignme=
nts with one command execution
An example of th=
is is the
Generate ROW w/ Cul-de-sac command.Here the engineer specifies the range of horizontal alignments to =
be
processed along with the design parameter ID, from which, the command will
create the offset line and curve elements which can represent the
right-of-way, pavement ribbon, curb lines etc.The right-of-way design paramete=
r ID
contains the design data in terms of offset values and cul-de-sac radii t=
o be
used.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Cross-Section/Profiles
Using
the horizontal alignment
existing
ground
cross-sections and profiles can be extracted from t=
he
digital terrain model
With the horizon=
tal
alignment created, the engineer can proceed to extract existing ground
cross-sections and profiles from the previously created TIN, or
contours.Note that the TIN=
could
have been created with the 3D Analyst software, if so desired.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Cross-Section/Profile Extraction
Again, a custom =
command is
invoked enabling the engineer to specify the horizontal alignment ID along
with the other pertinent extraction data.This creates two dBase tables, o=
ne for
the cross-section and one for the profile.Note that the engineer can extra=
ct
cross-sections and profiles from contour strings, 3D polygons or a TIN
dataset.The result of this
operation is the creation of the original ground profile and the original
ground cross-sections.Ther=
e are
special commands which enable us to plot the original ground profile and
cross-sections.Separate da=
ta
frames are created to store the profile and cross-sections.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Vertical Alignments
An interactive design feature to
introduce one or many PVI’s with parabolic curves, and dynamically
display alignment changes as each PVI is dragged across the monitor =
span>screen.
With the origina=
l ground
profile extracted in the previous step we can proceed with the design of =
the
proposed vertical alignment.Similarly to the horizontal alignment, the vertical alignment cont=
ains
a series of VPI’s with each VPI assigned a station, elevation and
vertical curve length.Agai=
n, the
vertical alignment represents a design feature which we are able to edit =
and
post-process.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Vertical Alignment Design
In laying out th=
e proposed
ground profile, the engineer superimposes the proposed ground profile upon
the existing ground profile. As
will be seen later on, the profile will be displayed at the bottom of a s=
heet,
while the top is reserved for the plan view.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Vertical Alignment Editing
Specialized commands were developed t=
o facilitate the e=
diting
or modification of the vertical alignments=
Just as with the=
horizontal
alignment design process, the vertical alignment design process is also an
iterative process.As such,
special or custom tools were developed to perform editing on the design
feature.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Vertical Alignment <=
/span>Commands and Tools<=
/div>
Here you can see=
the various
commands and tools (upper left corner) that are present for editing and
post-processing vertical alignments.&nbs=
p;
The dialog box in the low right corner is for the creation of a
vertical curve table that will contain elevation values along the vertical
alignment at a user specified range and interval.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Automated Generation of
Vertical Alignment Grid and Annotation<=
/span>
Emphasizing the
“drafting as a by-product of the design process”, the line wo=
rk
and annotation displayed here was all created by the software by invoking=
a
custom command.These featu=
res
are stored in a geodatabase, and can they be edited by the engineer, if so
desired.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Proposed Ground Templates
Proposed ground templates (typical =
b>sections) are dr=
afted
using a custom tool for handling offset distances as well as slope and distan=
ce
values
In generating a =
proposed
ground surface, the engineer creates templates which represent the shape =
of
the proposed ground.To do =
so a
special tool for creating lines given differential offsets and/or slope a=
nd distance
values needed to be developed.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Typical Proposed Ground Template
And its Components
The creation of =
such a
special tool really expedites the generation of the proposed ground templ=
ate
because it allows the engineer to define lines given actual engineering
parameters.That is, roadway
surfaces are typically defined given a slope and distance.As such, the engineer needs a to=
ol
that can process slope and distance values.A variety of typical sections ca=
n be saved
in a library of templates for easy recall.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Proposed Ground Surface
Proposed ground surface created by =
combining:
<=
/b>
vHorizontal Alignment
vExisting Ground Cross-Sections
vVertical Alignment
vProposed Ground Templates
With all of the =
roadway
components defined, the engineer can begin the process of creating the
proposed ground surface.As=
you
can probably surmise, there is a custom command which takes all of the
individual components and create a proposed ground surface.This surface is actually a serie=
s of
proposed ground cross-sections from which a TIN can be created.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Site Contours created fr=
om
the Proposed Ground Surface
Using the propos=
ed ground
TIN, we can merge the existing ground and proposed ground TINs to create =
an
overall site TIN, from which, final ground contours can be developed.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Cross-Section Plotting
Fully Annotated Cross-Sections =
span>are produced by =
using
a custom command which stores the line and annotation
features in a geodatabase
One of the next =
steps is to
extract cross sections depicting the existing as well as the proposed gro=
und
sections.These sections ca=
n be
mass annotated with a variety of information, and in several formats.If these sections are generated =
after
the earthwork has been processed, the geometric information of the cross
sections can be supplemented with those of the quantity takeoff values.=
font>
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Cross-Section
Parameters
A combo menu box=
(upper left
corner) contains various commands assisting the engineer to extract cross
sections and profiles, and generate earthwork quantities.In the dialog box of the low rig=
ht
corner, the engineer may specify the various annotation parameters that a=
re
to be used in the generation of the cross section sheets.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Cross-Sections with Earthwork
Once developed, =
the various
cross sections can be augmented with the introduction such other pertinent
information as crossing underground utilities.Note that with all of the featur=
es
created by these custom commands, the engineer is able to modify any or a=
ll
as desired.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Subdivision Design
A “Block” of land can be subdivided into =
b>individual lots =
by
specifying:
<=
span
style=3D'font-family:"Times New Roman";font-size:178%'>ØThe four sides
comprising the block and
<=
span
style=3D'font-family:"Times New Roman";font-size:178%'>ØThe design zoning
criteria identifier
The subdivision =
of a parcel
of land is controlled by various local planning board and zoning board
requirements that dictate the width of a street, the size of a lot, and t=
he
positioning of the house within a lot.&n=
bsp;
Designing a two or three lot subdivision Is not a big deal (time
wise), or even for a few more houses.&nb=
sp;
For a larger subdivision, however, an automated generation of the =
lots
is a welcomed feature.Comp=
lex
developments can be broken into blocks, which are then subdivided by the
program into zoning conforming lots.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Subdivision <=
/span>=
Design Data
Various subdivis=
ion lot data
can be stored like roadway design data in a dBase table for easy recall f=
or a
particular project.The com=
bo box
menu in the upper left corner contains the various subdivision commands,
while the bottom dialog box requests the zoning lot requirements.The top dialog box applies the
pertinent zoning requirements to a block and subdivides it into lots.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
A four sided
“Block” and its automatic division into lots conforming to zoning regulations
All lots in a bl=
ock are
generated by the program meeting minimum lot areas, set back distances, s=
et
back widths, and side and rear lot clearances.A distinction in the these
requirements is made between corner and interior lots.Any excess area is then divided =
among
all or user selected lots.
151
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The CEDRA Corporation
Mass Generation of
ØLots,
ØMetes & Bounds and
ØHouse envelopes
Once a block has=
been
subdivided, the various lots may be annotated with their metes and bounds,
lot number and area in square feet (sm) and acres (ha).In addition, the house envelopes
meeting the zoning setback and clearances can also be mass generated.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Plan and Profile Drawings
P&P Drawings are created by specifying:
ØA sheet identifi=
er
and
ØThe components t=
o be
included on the drawing, as the plan view, profile view, north arrow, dra=
wing
sheet border, etc.
One of the final=
products of
the design process is the preparation of the plan and profile sheets,
commonly referred to as the P&P sheets.When the design of the horizonta=
l and
vertical design processes is done as previously stated, the entire projec=
t is
designed as a whole in a world coordinate system.It is now time to break down into
small (24”x36”) sheets with the plan view at the top, and the=
profile
at the bottom of each sheet.
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The CEDRA Corporation
P&P Drawing Components=
div>
A menu combo box=
and a
special dialog are employed to cut-up the project into individual sheets =
and
specify the various components that comprise the plan and the profile vie=
ws
of the project.Such compon=
ents,
in addition to the actual plan and profiles, could include mass annotatio=
n of
existing and proposed ground elevations at a specified station interval,
north arrow, sheet title block, and the like.Individual sheets may be augment=
ed by
specific details drafted with the various geometric tools.In essence we are creating a dBa=
se
table that contains the individual components with pertinent transformati=
on
information stored for each component for every sheet to be assembled by =
the
software.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Design Data Exchange
During the design, pertinent informat=
ion
can be stored with the drawing features such as:=
Lot Number
<=
/b>
House Number
=
;
Block Number=
Pipe Length
=
Pipe Material=
3;
Pipe Size
Street Name
=
Design Speed
=
;
etc.<=
/div>
data which is pertinent to the municipal client
When the design =
has been
completed, the project database contains most of the attributes that a
municipality needs for the maintenance of its infrastructure.Field changes during the constru=
ction
of the project can be introduced to update the design database, and turned
over to the municipality for its use.&nb=
sp;
Prior to the commencement of the project, the engineer and the cli=
ent
can discuss what attributes should be incorporated into the database.Afterwards, as the design procee=
ds the
engineer can populate these attributes with the appropriate values with t=
he
CEDRA-DataEditor, which is included with the CEDRA-AVland software.
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The CEDRA Corporation
Integration <=
/span>with the 3D Analyst
During the cours=
e of the
design, the project database can be integrated with the 3D Analyst to ass=
ist
the engineer in the refinement of the design, and to prepare renderings f=
or
public information meetings.
151
Sully’s Trail – Suite 6, Pittsford, New York 14534
The CEDRA Corporation
Summary
ØThe
fundamental ArcGIS concept of combining data with graphics in one environment provides a path towards the =
total design
process of a project.=
span>
by attaining the=
GIS concept
of integrating into one entity graphic and information data.
T=
he
following presentation discusses how ArcGIS, ArcMap specifically, was modified to perform civil engineering and surveying applications.Although the presentation is geared for civil engineers and surveyors, there are tools which are presented th=
at are applicable to other disciplines, such as the =
plan and profile drawing generation.In addition, the approach taken in modifying ArcMap for civil engineering and surveying purposes can be used =
span>for other disciplines, such as architecture, environmental engineering and so forth.
A=
nyone who
has been associated with ESRI for a =
long
time will have noticed that GIS has expanded into a wide variety of areas, and is used for more than just mapping.Analysis has become a “big-time”
component of GIS and is one of the reasons GIS
has grown so much.
G=
IS has
even been adopted by Civil Engineers and Surveyors,
who because of their CAD roots, were slow
to get on board the GIS bus.Even
so, civil engineers and surveyors ar=
e just
beginning to use GIS and are not rea=
lly
taking advantage of its full capabil=
ities.
P=
art of the
reason for civil engineers and surveyors using
GIS is the fact that they deal with municipal clients. Municipalities, as you know, have been using GIS for a number of years.As a result they have developed robust and accurate “enough&=
#8221;
databases.This has caused the municipalitie=
s to start asking for project data, which the engineer=
s and surveyors have created, in a format that can =
be incorporated into their GIS. This is a growing tr=
end that is only going to get larger.
F=
or now,
submitting DXF or DWG files has been the mechanism
in which engineers and surveyors have been
providing their municipal clients their project work.
T=
he problem
with this type of file is that although most
geometric information comes across, valuable attribute or non-graphic information does not easily come across, if at all. This attribute data is ve=
ry important to the municipality because of the robustness of the municipality’s GIS.
T=
o address
this issue, a new approach is emerging.&n=
bsp;
That is, the utilization of A=
rcMap
to perform design and drafting funct=
ions.
B=
y creating
custom commands and tools, we can add
civil engineering and surveying functionality that operates within the ArcMap environment.
N=
ow, when
we say design within ArcMap, we are =
not
talking about performing one simple task. We are talking about performing an entire project from start to end, from site mapping to contract desig=
n document preparation, stakeout, and infrastructur=
e database updating within a GIS environment. Using=
the fundamental principle that drafting should be=
a by-product of the design process, the engineer =
span>develops almost all of the drawing information as=
the design process proceeds.
S=
ince
ArcGIS provides a developer environment, it is possible for one to develop Active X DLL’s which can be added to ArcMap in the form of custom toolbars. These toolbars will contain the command=
s and tools providing the civil engineering and surveying functionality. The toolbars shown in th=
is presentation were created using Visual Basic, ArcObjects and Avenue Wraps.
O=
bviously a
civil engineering project involves a number of different tasks.What =
we
will cover in this presentation are =
the
tools which we use for road design and site development.The tasks=
for
this type of work is shown on the sl=
ide.
T=
he first
task is the creation of the digital terrain model. This model is to contain the existing topographic features of the site, as well as, con=
tours for the site.&nb=
sp;
In this presentation we will discuss how conventional field survey data can be imported.The size,
type, location and other factors will dictate the means by which the base topographic map will be <=
/span>prepared.Depending on these means appropriate import formats can be created.Of course the prime, and first
source to be looked at is the availability of an appropriate GIS database map.&nb=
sp;
Even if not quite up-to-date,=
such
a base map could serve for a concept=
ual,
preliminary, project design.
T=
he
approach taken, and what will become clear during
the presentation, is that for every major task there is a custom command or tool that exists for performing the task.The result of using any of these commands or tools is the generation of poin=
t, line, curve, polygon and/or annotation features i=
n as much of an automated fashion so as to minimize th=
e amount of manual editing.
For this task we desire to mass import poin=
t data
from which contours are to be create=
d.
H=
ere is the
Import Points command which allows us to
import point data in an ASCII file in a variety of formats.When used in conjunction with point codes,
this command is able to generate line work representing
the site’s existing features, such as curb lines, building footprints, sewer lines, power lines, and the like.Point codes can also be used to <=
/span>set the symbology for automatic drafting purposes=
.Within
ArcMap the point code is the attribute in which
the layer is classified upon. In
so doing, the appropriate symbol can=
be
applied based upon the point code.=
span>
I=
n creating
contours, one has to be cognizant of the point
data.That is, does the poin=
t data
represent a radial survey or a
cross-sectional type of survey.There are several contouring software that could =
be used. Many
of these prepare superbly looking line work.However, for civil engineering
applications, the “exact”
(using this word rather loosely) is more important
than “nice looking”.Therefore, the ability needs =
to
exist to easily modify a contour line created
by automated means.
H=
ere is an
example of a radial survey, where the surveyor
“shoots” points in a radial fashion from some “set-up” or control point.
I=
n the case
of a cross-sectional survey, the surveyor takes “shots” left and right of some arbitrary baseline.There is a difference between the two types of surveys becau=
se a special contouring algorithm needs to be used whe=
n processing cross-sectional types of surveys. Typi=
cal contouring algorithms do not handle cross-section=
al surveys properly.
H=
ere you
can see some of the contouring param=
eters
that are available for the engineer or surveyor.
The top dialog box provides for the introdu=
ction
of break lines, such as top of bank,=
or
bottom of ditch, where a sharp chang=
e in a
contour’s direction occurs.=
3;
The bottom dialog box assists in the introd=
uction
of the contour parameters, such as l=
ine
weight of the heavy contour, contour
interval, spacing of contour annotat=
ions,
contour smoothing, and the like.
S=
ince we
are discussing a new approach in per=
forming
design, it is only fitting that the data we create be stored in a geodatabase.&=
nbsp;
In the case of contours, a
geodatabase will contain the contour strings,
which are actually polylines with the elevation
stored as an attribute, the heavy contour elevation
annotation features, and the polygons which
comprise the TIN.The polygo=
ns are
actually 3D polygons with each verte=
x in
the polygon assigned an elevation va=
lue.
H=
ere is a
simplistic example of contours created from
cross-sectional survey data.
O=
nce the
digital terrain model has been established we
can proceed with the roadway design phase.The
approach taken in performing roadway design is that the user defines the design criteria to be used, identifying each one with an identifier.This identifier is then referenced during the operation of a specific command.The design criteria or “design data” are stored in dBase tables.
S=
ince there
are different types of design data (the top
left combo box menu), there will be different dBase tables containing the different types of design data.Within a dBase table (the bottom right dialog box helps to set the right-of way widths, and the=
design parameters for the automated design of cul=
-de-sacs) there could be various design data of th=
e same type, thus creating a library of design data=
.The
design parameter ID is the identifier that the engineer can use to differentiate different design criteria.
In
designing a road, the horizontal alignment is represented as a design feature. This feature can be comprised of one or more PI’s with each =
PI
being assigned interactively a curve
radius with or without a back and/or
forward spiral length.Contr=
ol
points and their buffer zones that a=
ffect
the positioning the alignment can be
defined by various built-in geometric
tools.
H=
ere we see
a horizontal alignment that is compr=
ised
of two PI’s.In this c=
ase,
each of the PI’s is assigned o=
nly a
curve radius and no spiral length da=
ta.So you can see that a horizontal
alignment is more than a polyline, i=
t is a
design feature that has been assigned
pertinent roadway geometric informat=
ion.On such an alignment, click at a =
PI and
drag it across the monitor screen.As the PI is dragged the alignment changes reflecting its shap=
e based upon the current location of the cursor.
A=
s one
understands, the design process is an iterative
process, so that, during the roadway layout, the engineer is going to want to alter the design.As such,
special or custom tools need to exist to perform
editing on the design feature.
A=
s can be
seen a robust suite of commands and =
tools
were developed for editing (dialog box in the low right corner) and post-processing (combo box menu commands in the upper left corner).=
div>
W=
hen we
speak of post-processing we are talking about
using a design feature in conjunction with design
data to mass produce lines, curves and annotation
features, with these features being =
stored
in a geodatabase.
A=
n example
of this is the Generate ROW w/ Cul-de-sac
command.Here the engineer
specifies the range of horizontal
alignments to be processed along wit=
h the
design parameter ID, from which, the command
will create the offset line and curve elements
which can represent the right-of-way, pavement
ribbon, curb lines etc.The
right-of-way design parameter ID con=
tains
the design data in terms of offset v=
alues
and cul-de-sac radii to be used.
W=
ith the
horizontal alignment created, the engineer can
proceed to extract existing ground cross-sections
and profiles from the previously created TIN,
or contours.Note that the T=
IN
could have been created with the 3D
Analyst software, if so desired.
A=
gain, a
custom command is invoked enabling the engineer
to specify the horizontal alignment ID along
with the other pertinent extraction data.=
This creates two dBase tables=
, one
for the cross-section and one for the
profile.Note that the engin=
eer
can extract cross-sections and profi=
les
from contour strings, 3D polygons or=
a TIN
dataset.The result of this operation is the creation of the original gr=
ound profile and the original ground cross-sections.There
are special commands which enable us to plot
the original ground profile and cross-sections.Separate
data frames are created to store the profile
and cross-sections.
W=
ith the
original ground profile extracted in the previous
step we can proceed with the design of the proposed
vertical alignment.Similarl=
y to
the horizontal alignment, the vertic=
al
alignment contains a series of VPI=
8217;s
with each VPI assigned a station, el=
evation
and vertical curve length.A=
gain,
the vertical alignment represents a =
design
feature which we are able to edit and
post-process.
I=
n laying
out the proposed ground profile, the engineer
superimposes the proposed ground profile upon
the existing ground profile.As
will be seen later on, the profile w=
ill be
displayed at the bottom of a sheet, =
while
the top is reserved for the plan view.
J=
ust as
with the horizontal alignment design process,
the vertical alignment design process is also
an iterative process.As suc=
h,
special or custom tools were develop=
ed to
perform editing on the design featur=
e.
H=
ere you
can see the various commands and tools (upper
left corner) that are present for editing and post-processing vertical alignments.The dialog box in the low right corner is for the creation of a
vertical curve table that will conta=
in
elevation values along the vertical
alignment at a user specified range and interval.
E=
mphasizing
the “drafting as a by-product of the design
process”, the line work and annotation displayed here was all created by the software by invoking a custom command.These features are stored in a geodatabase, and can they be edited b=
y the engineer, if so desired.
In
generating a proposed ground surface, the engineer
creates templates which represent the shape
of the proposed ground.To d=
o so a
special tool for creating lines given
differential offsets and/or slope and
distance values needed to be developed.
T=
he
creation of such a special tool really expedites the generation of the proposed ground template =
span>because it allows the engineer to define lines gi=
ven actual engineering parameters.That is, roadway surfaces are typically defined given a slope and =
distance.As such, the engineer needs a tool that can process slope and distance values.A variety of typical sections can be saved in a library of templates for easy recall.
W=
ith all of
the roadway components defined, the =
engineer
can begin the process of creating the proposed
ground surface.As you can
probably surmise, there is a custom
command which takes all of the indiv=
idual
components and create a proposed gro=
und
surface.This surface is act=
ually
a series of proposed ground cross-se=
ctions
from which a TIN can be created.
U=
sing the
proposed ground TIN, we can merge the existing
ground and proposed ground TINs to create an
overall site TIN, from which, final ground contours
can be developed.
O=
ne of the
next steps is to extract cross sections depicting
the existing as well as the proposed ground
sections.These sections can=
be
mass annotated with a variety of
information, and in several formats.=
If these sections are generated <=
/span>after the earthwork has been processed, the geometric information of the cross sections can b=
e supplemented with those of the quantity takeoff <=
/span>values.
A=
combo
menu box (upper left corner) contains various
commands assisting the engineer to extract cross
sections and profiles, and generate earthwork quantities.In the dia=
log
box of the low right corner, the eng=
ineer
may specify the various annotation p=
arameters
that are to be used in the generation of the
cross section sheets.
O=
nce
developed, the various cross sections can be augmented with the introduction such other pertinent information as crossing underground utilities.Note that with all of the features created by these custom commands, the engineer is able to =
span>modify any or all as desired.
T=
he
subdivision of a parcel of land is controlled by various local planning board and zoning board requirements that dictate the width of a street, =
the size of a lot, and the positioning of the house w=
ithin a lot.Designing a two or three lot subdivision Is not a big deal (time wise), or even for a few more =
span>houses. =
span>For
a larger subdivision, however, an au=
tomated
generation of the lots is a welcomed feature.Complex developments can be broke=
n into
blocks, which are then subdivided by=
the
program into zoning conforming lots.=
V=
arious
subdivision lot data can be stored like roadway
design data in a dBase table for easy recall for a particular project.The combo box menu in the upp=
er
left corner contains the various subdivision commands, while the bottom dialog box requests the zoning lot requirements.The top dialog box applies the pertinent zoning requirements to a bl=
ock and subdivides it into lots.
A=
ll lots in
a block are generated by the program meeting
minimum lot areas, set back distances, set back
widths, and side and rear lot clearances.=
A distinction in the these
requirements is made between corner =
and
interior lots.Any excess ar=
ea is then divided among all or user selected lots.<=
/span>
O=
nce a
block has been subdivided, the various lots may be annotated with their metes and bounds, lot number and area in square feet (sm) and acres (ha). In
addition, the house envelopes meeting the zoning
setback and clearances can also be mass generated.
O=
ne of the
final products of the design process is the
preparation of the plan and profile sheets, commonly referred to as the P&P sheets.When the design of the horizontal and vertical design processes is done as previously stated, the entir=
e project is designed as a whole in a world coordin=
ate system. =
span>It
is now time to break down into small (24”x36”)
sheets with the plan view at the top, and the
profile at the bottom of each sheet.
A=
menu
combo box and a special dialog are e=
mployed
to cut-up the project into individual sheets and specify the various components that comprise the plan and the profile views of the project.Such components, in addition to the actual plan and profiles, could include mass annotation of existi=
ng and proposed ground elevations at a specified station interval, north arrow, sheet title block,=
and the like.Individual sheets may be augmented by specific details drafted with the various geometric tools. In
essence we are creating a dBase table that
contains the individual components with pertinent
transformation information stored for each component
for every sheet to be assembled by the software.
H=
ere is a
sample P&P sheet.
W=
hen the
design has been completed, the project database
contains most of the attributes that a municipality
needs for the maintenance of its inf=
rastructure.Field changes during the <=
span
style=3D'font-size:150%'>construction of the project can be introduced to =
update the design database, and turned over to th=
e municipality for its use.Prior to the commencement =
of the project, the engineer and the client can <=
/span>discuss what attributes should be incorporated in=
to the database.&nb=
sp;
Afterwards, as the design proceeds the
engineer can populate these attributes with the appropriate values with the CEDRA-DataEditor, which is included with the CEDRA-AVland software.=
D=
uring the
course of the design, the project da=
tabase
can be integrated with the 3D Analyst to assist
the engineer in the refinement of the design, and to prepare renderings for public information meetings.
ArcGIS can:
Be used as an engineering design graphic en=
gine, and
Pro=
duce a
very compatible product for a munici=
pality’s
facility management database (go to =
next
slide)
by
attaining the GIS concept of integrating into one entity graphic and information data.